Should people learn the language of the country where they travel ?

[firetown]

I completely disagree with you. I speak several languages but consider English the one that you simply need to speak if you want to get things done in life. So I have a lot less understanding for anyone who is too lazy to familiarize himself with the world's number 1 language than someone relying on it to get by with it. And again: I speak several languages fluently. And Spanish seems to be the best and most convenient one when you go spend time in the Americas. Btw. This blog post you are sharing ... they of course want to sell their language courses.
http://www.dammann.com.au/about-us.php
What is strange: I have never met anyone other than my family members having my last name. But they seem to. Aside from one celebrity I have never met ,,, Michael Dammann Eisner.

Hello,
I think one should learn the language of the place where they are travelling because they may stuck in a situation when it is necessary to know the native language. Recently I read a blog in which a Chinese tourist ended up in German Camp. Here is the link : dammann.com.au/blog/how

 

[firetown]

Well, I don't agree with you and you gave yourself the one and only motivation to my disagreement which I have quoted just above.
If you go on a trip (holiday or work) in a foreign country and you are NOT able to talk to the natives, then you better stay home, ther is nothing to see AND understand. Going to a country and completely disregard the population, to me it's like going through the desert without water.


Well, if I might make a recomandation : if you want to go to Rome, don't bother to learn Latin nobody will understand you (excepted a few doctors, pharmacists, chemists and a few other specializes scientifics, in all an extremely small part of population).
Better learn italian. They'll read you loud and clear.

Strongly disagree. I learned Spanish rapidly because of Latin and could communicate to some extent immediately because of it.

 

[Angela]

If you're going on some two week guided tour, fine, don't learn the "native" language. If you really want to get to know and experience another culture, then learn at least some of the language. A language is a window into the soul of a culture. If you don't really want to know it, fine, don't learn it.

There's also the question of simple good manners, and the further fact that adding a few words in the native language, or making a stab at expressing yourself in their language will endear you to the people with whom you come into contact and result in a much more pleasant as well as enriching experience. Does anyone really think that coming across as the "Ugly American", or "Arrogant Brit" leads to a more pleasant experience? (Well, that would apply everywhere except France. )

 

[Northener]

I've got good experiences with English and German in most European countries. My French is way worse. But I must say most French people don't appreciate it even if you give it a try. Most times you get some kind of irritated or angry face. There is not much consideration with non fluent speakers. (I'am very lucky my wife is native French In the Dutch situation it's the other way around, when foreigners start talking, most Dutch people speak English (sort of) in reply (in order to give the speaker more comfort). In my professional surrounding at the university this even leads to complains, 'this way I never learn Dutch'